Robert walker smith



(No Model.) 2 SheetsSheet 1.

R. W. SMITH.

STEERING LOOK FOR SAFETY BIGYGLES.

Patented May 25,1897.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

R. W. SMITH. STEERING LOCK FOR SAFETY BIGYGLES. No. 583,130.

Patented May 25,1897.

/NVENTOR WITNESSES 1 Mfiswfl" Jaw UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

ROBERT WALKER SMITH, OF ASTWVOOD BANK, ENGLAND.

STEERING-LOCK FOR SAFETY-BICYCLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 583,130, dated May 25, 1897.

Application filed July 16, 1896. Serial No. 599,435; (No model.) Patented in England August 4,1894, N0.14,969, and in France June 6,1895,N0.24'7,938.

.To otZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that LROBERT WALKER SMITH, a subject of Her Majesty the Queen of Great Britain and Ireland, residing at Astwood Bank, in the county of Worcester, England, have invented a certain new and useful Improved Steering-Lock for Safety-Bicycles and other Front-Steering Velocipedes, of which the following is a specification.

The invention has been patented in Great Britain, No. 14,969, dated August 4, 1894, and in France, No. 247,938, dated June 6, 1895.

This invention consists of the herein-described improved steering-lock, which is more particularly designed for use on safety-bicycles to lock the steering-pillar and steeringwheel in a line with or at any desired angle to the other wheel, so that when thus locked the safety-bicycle can readily be supported leaning against a wall or other support.

My invention can also be similarly applied to other front-steering velocipedes.

I will describe my invention as applied to a safety-bicycle and refer to the accompanying drawings, on which-- Figure 1 shows the front fork and the steering-post and steering-pillar of a safety-bicycle with my invention applied. Fig. 2 shows the upper part of the same on an enlarged scale. Fig. 3 is a plan of the same. Fig.4 is an elevation of the lower part of the steering-pillar clip. Fig. 5 shows the spring part of my improved steering-lock separately. Fig. 6 shows a slightly-different method of applying my said invention, and Figs. 7 and 8 illustrate a further modification of my invention.

The same letters of reference indicate the same or corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings.

Referring first more particularly to Figs. 1 to 5, both inclusive, in carrying out my invention I provide a light spring-steel or other metal gripping-band A, which encircles the collar part c of the usual clip E, which is fixed on the steering-pillar F, which latter turns in the steering-post O, the steeringpillarF having as usual the wheel-fork f at its lower end carrying the steering-wheel axle and steering-wheel,which latter are not shown on my drawings. The end a of the grippingband A is fixed to or engages with a boss 1),

formed on the top lug B of the steering-post O, and the other end, d of the gripping-band A passes transversely through an eye 19 which may and by preference does form a portion of the boss I). This end a of the grippingband Ais screw-threaded and provided with a milled or other nut G, which bears against the eye I) and by turning which the grippingband A can either be tightened up so as to grip the collar part c of the clip E of the steering-pillar, and thus lock the steeringpillar F to the steering-post O in any desired position, or by turning the nut G in the opposite direction the gripping-band A can be loosened so as to allow of the steering-pillar turning freely in the steering-post when the machine is being ridden. There is or maybe a groove 6 turned in the collar 6 of the steering-pillar clip E, (see Fig. 4,) in which groove 6 the gripping-band A engages, and is thereby prevented from gettiu g out of place on the collar.

The gripping-band A can conveniently be made from a piece of round steel or other metal wire, which, as shown in Figs; 3 and 5, is filed or otherwise formed into a half-round section where it passes round the collar 6', and in order to secure the end a of the grippingband to the boss I) this end a maybe headed, as shown, and the gripping-band threaded through the hole 19 in the boss I) or be otherwise fixed thereto, or the gripping-band A may be made in any other convenient way.

Instead of the gripping-band A being carried by the boss I) on the top lug B to surround and grip the collar e on the steeringpillar clip E, as above described, and shown by Figs. 1, 2, and 3, this arrangement may be reversed-that is to say, the gripping-band A may, as shown in Fig. 6, be similarly carried by a boss 2 formed with the top clip E or other part of the steering-pillarF and arranged to surround and grip the collar 5 of the top lug B of the steering-post G, in which collar there will then be turned a groove 19 in which the said gripping-band A fits.

Instead of the gripping-band A being ap plied to the top lug of the steering-post and the collar e of the clip of the steering-pillar, as above described, and illustrated by my drawings, it will be evident that without departing from the nature of my invention I may similarly apply the said gripping-band to the bottom lug II and lowercollar of the steering-pillar.

Instead of screwing the end a of the gripping-band A and providing the same with a nut for tightening or loosening the same, as above described with reference to Figs. 1 to 6, both inclusive, I may provide the grippingband A with other equivalent means for these purposessuch,forinstance,as showninFigs. 7 and S, where the end of the gripping-band A which projects through the ear Z2 is provided with a lever-cam I, jointed thereto by the pin J. The part i of the lever-cam, which bears 011 the face of the ear b is made eccentric, so that when the lever is turned in one direction the cam will tighten up the gripping-band, and when the lever is turned in the opposite direction the gripping-band will be free and allow the steering-pillar to turn.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination with the steering-pillar and fixed steering-post of a safety-bicycle or other front-steerin g velocipede, of a grippingband which encircles the collar on the steering-pillar and at one end is fixed to the top lug or to the bottom lug of the steering-post, the other end of the said gripping-band pass ing through an ear on said lug and provided with means whereby the gripping-band can be tightened around the said collar or released therefrom, for the purpose and substantially as hereinbefore set forth.

2. The combination with the steering-pillar and fixed steering-post of a safety-bicycle or other front-steeringvelocipede, of a grippingband which encircles the collar part of the top log or of the bottom lug of the fixed steeringpost and at one end is fixed to a boss formed with a collar on the steering-pillar, the other end of the said gripping-band passing through an car on the said boss and provided with means whereby the gripping-band can be tightened around the said collar part of the lug or released therefrom, for the purpose substantially as set forth.

3. In combination, the steering-pillar, the fixed steering-post, a collar on one of said parts, a gripping-band embracing said collar and having one of its ends fixed to the other part, and with its opposite end threaded and a nut engaging said threaded end, substantially as described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto setmy hand in presence of two witnesses.

ROBERT \VALKER SMITH.

\Vitn esses:

CHARLES BOSWORTH KETLEY, HERBERT XVHITEHoUsE. 

